Iran Dismisses European Calls for Restraint

An Iranian woman walks near a billboard of new Hamas leader Yahya Al-Sinwar hanging on a wall at the Palestine Square in Tehran, Iran, 12 August 2024. EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH
An Iranian woman walks near a billboard of new Hamas leader Yahya Al-Sinwar hanging on a wall at the Palestine Square in Tehran, Iran, 12 August 2024. EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH
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Iran Dismisses European Calls for Restraint

An Iranian woman walks near a billboard of new Hamas leader Yahya Al-Sinwar hanging on a wall at the Palestine Square in Tehran, Iran, 12 August 2024. EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH
An Iranian woman walks near a billboard of new Hamas leader Yahya Al-Sinwar hanging on a wall at the Palestine Square in Tehran, Iran, 12 August 2024. EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH

Iran's foreign ministry said on Tuesday that calls for restraint regarding Israel from France, Germany and Britain "lack political logic and contradict principles of international law.”

The three European countries issued a statement on Monday calling on Iran and its allies to refrain from attacks against Israel following the killing of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last month.

The statement was signed by French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Tehran and its allies Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah have accused Israel of carrying out the assassination. The Israeli government has made no claim of responsibility.

"Without any objection to the crimes of the Zionist regime (Israel), the E3 statement impudently requires Iran not to respond to a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity," Kanaani said.
Kanaani said Tehran is determined to deter Israel and called on Paris, Berlin and London to "once and for all stand up against the war in Gaza and the warmongering of Israel.”

Starmer held a call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday, asking him to refrain from attacking Israel and saying that war was not in anyone's interest, his office said.

Starmer told Pezeshkian he was deeply concerned by the situation in the Middle East and called on all parties to de-escalate to avoid further regional confrontation.

Scholz also spoke by phone Monday with Pezeshkian and “expressed his great concern about the danger of a regional conflagration in the Middle East.”
The German government said Scholz made clear that “the spiral of violence in the Middle East must now be broken.”
 



White House: Iran Could Make 'Significant' Attack on Israel this Week

US President Joe Biden walks from Marine One to the West Wing of the White House August 12, 2024 © Brendan Smialowski / AFP
US President Joe Biden walks from Marine One to the West Wing of the White House August 12, 2024 © Brendan Smialowski / AFP
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White House: Iran Could Make 'Significant' Attack on Israel this Week

US President Joe Biden walks from Marine One to the West Wing of the White House August 12, 2024 © Brendan Smialowski / AFP
US President Joe Biden walks from Marine One to the West Wing of the White House August 12, 2024 © Brendan Smialowski / AFP

Iran could launch a "significant" attack on Israel as soon as this week, the White House said Monday, as US President Joe Biden discussed the crisis with European leaders.

"We have to be prepared for what could be a significant set of attacks," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.

"We share the same concerns and expectations that our Israeli counterparts have with respect to potential timing here -- could be this week," added Kirby, AFP reported.

Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah group have vowed to avenge last month's killings of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr.

Biden called the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Britain on Monday to discuss the growing tensions, the White House added.

The call was "largely for all the leaders to repeat what they have said before in terms of reaffirming Israel's defense" and to "send a strong message that we don't want to see any rise in violence, any attacks by Iran or its proxies."

The leaders also called for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, with difficult talks set for Thursday on halting the conflict that started when the Palestinian group attacked Israel on October 7.

The call came shortly after Biden returned to the Oval Office after a long weekend at his beach house in Delaware.